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ALUC-26-03 (City of Rio Vista General Plan Update 2045)
Determine that Application No. ALUC-26-03 (City of Rio Vista General Plan Update 2045), located within the Travis Air Force Base (AFB) Land Use Compatibility Plan (LUCP) Zones D and E, and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport LUCP, is consistent with both the AFB and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport LUCPs.
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RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution determining Application No. ALUC-26-03 (City of Rio Vista General Plan Update 2045), located within the Travis Air Force Base (AFB) Land Use Compatibility Plan (LUCP) Zones D and E, and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport LUCP, is consistent with both the Travis AFB and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport LUCPs.
DISCUSSION:
Section 21676(b) of the State Aeronautics Act requires Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) review prior to the amendment of any general plan within an Airport Influence Area.
Overview of Rio Vista 2045 General Plan
The City of Rio Vista (“City”) 2045 General Plan is a comprehensive update of the City’s 2001 General Plan. Many aspects of the Rio Vista community of 2026 are like the community described in the 2001 General Plan. While much of the vision of the 2001 General Plan has been retained, the 2045 General Plan made significant changes in the following areas:
• Update Guiding Policies that provided a framework for General Plan Elements and the goals, policies, and programs of the 2045 General Plan.
• The 2045 General Plan has been structured as a more user friendly and concise document than the 2001 General Plan, it has eliminated ambiguities in land use designations.
• The intent of land use designations is largely retained, though actual designations have in some cases been modified, renamed, consolidated, or eliminated.
• The uncertainties of California Forever led the city to focus inward in the 2045 General Plan rather than anticipating outward expansion of the city.
Land Use Changes in the Vicinity of the Rio Vista Airport
Land use designations within the use restricted safety zones of the Rio Vista Airport are largely unchanged. Due to the planning approach developed in the 2045 General Plan update the following land use modifications have occurred:
• The 2001 General Plan identified lands in the vicinity of the Airport and the City’s Northwest Wastewater Treatment Plant as Airport/Transportation and Agriculture/Open Space. These City-owned lands are now designated Public/Quasi Public, a use designation that allows City facilities but does not allow private development projects.
• Minor changes to use designations in the Summit/Liberty project have been applied to lands that are either improved or approved for non-residential uses that include Open Space and Parks.
• While modifications to the Brann Ranch project have been proposed by the landowner, the use designations of the 2001 General Plan have been retained. The Brann Ranch project will require a future general plan amendment.
• A new designation of Urban Reserve has been established north and west of the Brann Ranch property to guide land uses between the City and California Forever. The Urban Reserve does not establish rights for urban development, and these lands would require a General Plan amendment prior to any development in the City.
Consistency with the Rio Vista Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan
As noted above, the Rio Vista 2045 General Plan has largely retained the land use of the 2001 General Plan in all areas subject to use restrictions established in the Rio Vista Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP), with minor exceptions noted below:
Safety Zone 1 - Runway Protection Zone
City lands in Zone 1 include Airport property and a small portion of open space/drainage channel lands located between the Trilogy and Summit/Liberty projects. No changes to the previously approved/existing land uses are proposed.
Safety Zone 2 - Inner Approach/ Departure Zone
City lands in Zone 2 include Airport property, open space/drainage channel between the Trilogy and Summit/Liberty projects, and Industrial designated lands in the Summit/Liberty project. No changes to the previously approved/existing land uses are proposed.
Safety Zone 3 - Inner Turning Zone
City lands in Zone 3 include Airport property and lands in the Summit/Liberty project that were previously approved and developed for residential uses. No changes to the previously approved/existing land uses are proposed.
Safety Zone 4 - Outer Approach/Departure Surface
City lands in Zone 4 include lands in the undeveloped Brann Ranch project and the developed Trilogy project. As noted above, owners of the Brann Ranch project are seeking modifications to the previously approved project. However, the Rio Vista 2045 General Plan has retained the 2001 General Plan uses. A subsequent request for a no changes to previously approved/existing land uses are proposed. General Plan amendment to Brann Ranch uses will be reviewed by the city after adoption of the 2045 General Plan.
Safety Zone 5 - Sideline Zone
City lands in Zone 5 are located on Airport property. These lands are proposed as Public/Quasi Public in the 2045 General Plan, a designation with allowed uses like the previous Airport/Transportation designation of the 2001 Rio Vista General Plan.
Safety Zone 6 - Traffic Pattern Zone
Zone 6 includes substantial lands in the city, including all of Summit/Liberty, the majority of Trilogy, and a limited number of additional lands. The 2045 General Plan proposes Neighborhood Mixed Use at the northwest corner of Airport Road and Church Road, and various residential uses at the southwest corner of Airport Road and Church Road. These uses are consistent with the use restrictions of Safety Zone 6.
Consistency with the Travis Air Force Base Land Use Compatibility Plan
The majority of the City of Rio Vista is located within the Travis Air Force Base Land Use Compatibility Plan designation of Zone D, with a small portion along the riverfront in Zone E. Zone D does not establish limits on residential uses, does not establish maximum densities/intensities for development, and only prohibits hazards to flight. Similarly, Zone E places no limits on residential uses, densities/intensities, nor any specific prohibitions on land use. In general, Compatibility Zones D and E criteria require review of structural heights of objects and/or hazards related to bird attraction, electrical inference, glare and other flight hazards.
As development occurs in the City of Rio Vista, the City will consult with the Solano Airport Land Use Commission to ensure that no uses are established and that would result in hazards to flights associated with Travis Air Force Base.
Rio Vista 2045 General Plan Hearing Schedule
The City of Rio Vista Planning Commission heard this matter at a public hearing on March 11, 2026.
The city requests the Airport Land Use Commission consider the Rio Vista 2045 General Plan at its April 9, 2026, meeting.
It is anticipated the City Council will hold a public hearing on adoption of the Rio Vista 2045 General Plan on April 21, 2026.
AIRPORT PLANNING CONTEXT & ANALYSIS
General Plan amendments must undergo review by the ALUC for consistency with the applicable LUCPs (State Aeronautics Act section 21676). The proposed amendments would apply citywide, thus requiring consistency with the Travis AFB Compatibility Zones D and E, and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport LUCP (Attachment B).
Staff evaluated the City’s project using the Zone Compatibility criteria for Zone D and E of the Travis AFB LUCP and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport Plan. Staff analysis of the project is summarized in Attachment A.
Analysis Finding
Based on Staff’s review, Staff finds that the proposed General Plan Update complies with the requirements of the compatibility zones to protect flight and are consistent with the Travis AFB LUCP and the Rio Vista Municipal Airport LUCP.
Attachments
A: Airport Compatibility Zones Criteria
B: Compatibility Zones Map
C: Draft Resolution